Thule Urban Glide 3 Review

Swedish design is considered one of the most user friendly, innovative and practical in the world. I was definitely excited to put the new Thule all-terrain pushchair to the test. The Thule Urban Glide 3 (4-Wheeler) is the first of its kind for the Swedish brand. Their third version of a practical and desirable all-terrainer but this time with the option of four wheels versus the standard three. This branches into the ‘everyday’ pushchair realm and gives consumers the option of having a ‘does it all’ product when the market is swelling with single purpose options. With this in mind, it felt only right to put it through its paces – both in our general everyday routine in the city and on our travels, tackling the rough terrain of national parks.

Testing the Thule Urban Glide 3

The Urban Glide 3 (4-wheeler) was very easy to assemble, and the instructions are simple and easy to follow. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I could get it up and ready to go after delivery. The design is very smart and has an expensive look to it – with an all black finish and a practical but tasteful reflective trim for those darker walks. Whilst exploring the mechanism and features of the pushchair, I noticed that there was no bumper bar and the seat cover was an additional purchase. This is often the case with pushchair products, often accessories can be added to enhance the experience or comfort for both you and baby.

However, I was very disappointed to find that there was no rain cover included in the main purchase. A quick look online, meant that a further £50 for the rain cover plus delivery. I am not sure if this is clear when purchasing the Urban Glide 3, but I feel like a rain cover is a necessity and was delayed in using the pushchair whilst the rain cover was ordered and delivered. It seems as though it is an all-terrain but not an all-weather option without add-ons. I have to say the rain cover is very well designed and of high quality compared to previous one I’ve used.

I have been stopped whilst out in our local town and mums have asked what brand it was and where I have bought the Urban Glide 3 from. It is a stylish and premium looking pushchair that is a hybrid of an everyday and all-terrain. It is quite long compared to other pushchairs I have used and would require quite a long or wide boot in order to transport it in the car. The one hand folding mechanism is very user friendly and quick. It is also equally simple to pop the pushchair back up once the side catch is removed. I loved that the seat remained on the frame when folded, which was a much better design that previous pushchairs I’ve used.

My daughter, who is 12 months old, loves being in the Urban Glide 3 and seems very comfortable. She regularly takes her morning or afternoon naps in it and I have found her naps have extended since swapping to this pushchair. The added seat cover, which is nicely padded, offers a comfy base for her and doubles as a wipeable and washable liner for me! This was at a further cost of £50 and comes in a range of colours for taste. When she’s not napping, she enjoys a nice and smooth ride in the Urban Glide 3 and is very well shaded from the elements. I found she was trying to sit up even more as the highest setting on the seat is still quite reclined. I purchased the bumper bar to aid her in sitting further forward if she wanted to, however it hasn’t helped much and instead has been more useful for attaching toys and keeping her safe. I would definitely recommend adding this to the Urban Glide 3.

We tested the Urban Glide 3, both in and around our local town but also on our walks through the Lake District – where the terrain is much more challenging. I was so pleasantly surprised at how well it tackled the off-road tracks. The hand brake is also a fantastic feature that made hill walking so much safer and manageable! I did experience a punctured tyre as a bramble thorn pierced through it. Luckily the road home was tarmacked, and we were able to push it home and order a new insert. This meant the pushchair was out of action for a couple of days.

Final verdict

Naturally some of the features considered as pros for an all-terrain pushchair could also be considered as cons for an everyday main pushchair. For example, the air-filled tyres are well designed for tackling all terrain and enable the child to have as smooth a ride as possible with great suspension. However, after experiencing first-hand what it is like when one of those tyres gets a puncture whilst out and about, it could be considered a negative feature of a pushchair for someone using it in everyday life. The cost of repair and the inconvenience of it, could put users off making the Thule Urban Glide 3 (4 Wheeler) their main pushchair of choice.

That said, I am, overall, very impressed with the Thule Urban Glide 3 (4 wheel) and will continue to use it as our main pushchair. The design feels expensive and I love that I feel confident to push it anywhere, as it will most likely be able to cope with the more uneven terrain you come across - even in the city. My daughter is so comfortable in this pushchair, and it is a regular destination for her long naps travelling around our local town. This is made even more appealing with the unusual and excellent extendable

I did find it disappointing and highly inconvenient to find that additional purchases needed to be made to confidently use the product. This is definitely something I would recommend Thule change, especially for items such as the rain cover. I would have preferred for the original price of the pushchair to be £50 more expensive (to cover the cost of the inclusion of a rain cover) and receive the rain cover within the initial purchase, rather than having to arrange this separately. I cannot imagine any customer not wanting to have a rain cover on hand when leaving the house – especially in the UK!

The weight and length of the product are features I feel are necessary for durability and a smooth ride and I wouldn’t consider these cons, personally. I love having a ‘can do it all’ pushchair and I would definitely recommend mums-to-be to consider this when pram shopping and not to count it out as ‘just’ an additional all-terrain pushchair. Here’s to more exploring no matter the weather or terrain!